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I recently needed to get a certified copy of our birth certificates for a legal matter here in Costa Rica.
We have been residents for 18 years now. Not wanting to travel back to Wisconsin and not having a Consulate anywhere near Wisconsin, meant a real problem as this has always been a headache.
Then I read about the new Apostille Certificate for legal documents needed from your home state. An online paper had an article about Foreign Document Acceptance Process.
Supposedly with Costa Rica’s new adhesion to the Hague Convention for the legalization of foreign documents, you no longer need to use a Costa Rican Consulate to certify original documents.
So, I went on line to the Wis. Secretary of State and downloaded their applications for birth certificate and for the Authentication and Apostille Certificate order.
It was simple to complete the forms and enclose two checks, one for the certified original birth certificate copy and the other to order the Apostille Certificate.
The cost for the two was about $55.00 using two different checks to two different departments within the State Agencies.
My biggest problem was enclosing a self addressed stamped envelope since you can not purchase US postage stamps in Costa Rica. So, having a friend from CR visiting the US, I had her bring down about $10 worth of US postage for me to use.
The order was placed in mid January and within 30 days, I had it returned to Costa Rica, COMPLETED!
I did use a return address with Aerocasillas (a U.S. forwarding address) as you can not use a POB number. It could also be returned to anyone else you designated.
I also recommend enclosing a letter to your State Sec. explaining what you need and where you live. So, anyone who needs these type of documents, especially those who are accustomed to using a Consulate, you can now rest easy and make your life a little less hectic.
Every year in Costa Rica, things do get easier and it is painful and difficult to remember the “good old days” in Costa Rica.
It is interesting to note that although you no longer require CR Consulate authentication of documentation coming from the U.S. for use in Costa Rica,using the Apostille format as previously explained, the documentation still has to be authenticated by the Ministry of External Relations in San Jose (Casa Amarilla), prior to it being available for use in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, Canada is not a signatory to this particular Hague Treaty, so documentation from Canada still requires CR Consulate authentication.
Note from Scott: ‘WatchDog’ is the username for my friend and attorney Richard (Rick) Philps who is a Canadian citizen, naturalized as a citizen of Costa Rica. Rick practiced law in Canada as a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, for fourteen years, prior to moving to Costa Rica in 1998. Mr. Philps the earned his Bachelor of Laws and Licensing Degrees (Civil Law), and a Post-Graduate Degree in Notary and Registry Law, from the Escuela Libre de Derecho University, in San Jose, is a member of the Costa Rica College of Lawyers, and practices law in Costa Rica in the areas of real estate and development, corporate, commercial, contract, immigration, and banking.
To speak with Attorney Rick Philps and Attorney Roger Petersen about hiring them as your Costa Rica attorneys, please contact them using the information below:
Lic. Rick Philps and Lic. Roger A. Petersen – Attorneys at LawSan Jose, Costa RicaTel: 506-2288-2189Email: rpetersen@plawcr.comEmail: rphilps@plawcr.comWebsite: http://www.plawcr.com or http://www.costaricalaw.com
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